Rod forming mechanism

ABSTRACT

A rod forming mechanism comprises a frame including suitably joined and reinforced vertical, parallelly disposed walls being open at one of their vertical ends; a rod securing guide being mounted to the frame, the guide providing means for retaining a selected length of rod in a vertical position distally adjacent the open vertical edge of the frame; and a rod forming assembly including a forming lever pivotally mounted at its center to the frame adjacent the open end, a roller mounted at the lower end of the forming lever, means for applying force rotating the forming lever at its pivot provided at the end of the forming lever opposite the roller, a return bend shoe being disposed between the frame walls with the lowermost terminal end of the shoe being in substantial alignment with the pivot of the forming lever, and a stationary forming roller being disposed rearwardly of the lever, between the frame walls.

United States Patent n91 Helzer 1 Sept. 30, 1975 ROD FORMING MECHANISM Russell H. Heller, 336 NW. 10th, Ontario, Oreg. 97914 [22] Filed: Nov. 26, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 520,331

[76] lnventor:

2,414.926 l/l947 Burke 72/217 1194.038 7/1965 Small et t1. 72/319 X 3538.737 ll/l970 Del Monica 72/388 1808.867 5/1974 Bcckcr 72/32l lrinmry Examiner-Victor A. DiPalma Attorney, Agent, or Firm.lohn W. Kraft; Charles L. Kraft [5 7 ABSTRACT A rod forming mechanism comprises a frame including suitably joined and reinforced vertical, parallelly disposed walls being open at one of their vertical ends; a rod securing guide being mounted to the frame, the guide providing means for retaining a selected length of rod in a vertical position distally adjacent the open vertical edge of the frame; and a rod forming assembly including a forming lever pivotally mounted at its center to the frame adjacent the open end, a roller mounted at the lower end of the forming lever, means for applying force rotating the forming lever at its pivot provided at the end of the forming lever opposite the roller, a return bend shoe being disposed between the frame walls with the lowermost terminal end of the shoe being in substantial alignment with the pivot of the forming lever, and a stationary forming roller being disposed rearwarclly of the lever, between the frame walls.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975 3,908,433

ROD FORMING MECHANISM FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for deforming metal, and more particularly to apparatus for deforming rod into certain products such as saddletype pipe supports.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Means commonly used and employed to fabricate products made of metal rod have included impact devices, and continuous pressure devices. Continuous pressure rod deformation devices include swages, forges and the like which employ a high-impact blow to deform the material into a predetermined shape. Continuous pressure devices include the various types of vices and clamping formers which employ a screw, pressure cylinder, or the like to make a bend in a predetermined direction. Generally, impact devices have been employed to make bends having long, arcuate shapes, while continuous pressure devices may be employed to make tighter, return bends.

Forming of rod products having complicated shapes has been attempted either by apparatus having extremely great power sources to overcome mechanical limitations in either of the two main apparatus genera, attempting to employ a hybrid of compression and impact devices, or forming the product in sequential steps accomplished on separate devices. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for deforming rod into product which are characterized by complicated shapes and combinations of shapes. It is a more particular object to provide an apparatus which may form saddle-type pipe supports.

It is a further object of this invention that the aforesaid apparatus have as an inherent feature optimal use of power both over long arcuate sections, and sharp return bends.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the description following, it being understood that modifications may be made without affecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A rod forming mechanism comprises a frame includ ing suitably joined and reinforced vertical, parallelly disposed walls being open at one of their vertical ends; a rod securing guide being mounted to the frame, the guide providing means for retaining a selected length of rod in a vertical position distally adjacent the open ver- ,tical edge of the frame; and a rod forming assembly ineluding a forming lever pivotally mounted at its center to the frame adjacent the open end, a roller mounted at the lower end of the forming lever, means for applying force rotating the forming lever at its pivot provided at the end of the forming lever opposite the roller, a return bend shoe being disposed between the frame walls with the lowermost terminal end of the shoe being in substantial alignment with the pivot of the forming lever, and a stationary forming roller being disposed rearwardly of the lever, between the frame walls.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connection with the drawing forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the rod forming mechanism of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the rod forming mechanism of this invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a formed pipe support produced by the present mechanism shown supporting a pipe in broken lines for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional, side elevational view taken substantially along the lines 22 of the FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIFT ION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to the FIG. 1, the rod forming mechanism of this invention is shown to advantage and generally identified by the numeral 10. The mechanism 10 comprises a frame 11, a rod retaining guide 12, and a rod forming assembly 13. The frame 1 1 is a rectangular framework having a pair of vertical, parallelly oriented and suitably reinforced walls 14 and 14'. The frame 11 may be portable or bench mounted by means such as hold-down lugs 15.

Referring to the FIGS. 1 and 4, the guide 12 provides means for guiding a section of rod 16 into the forming assembly 13, and then retaining the rod 16 for deformation. The guide 12 may be fabricated of tube, or of a U-shaped channel 17 having adjustable securing clamps 19. As shown in the drawing, the channel 17 issues from the uppermost terminal edge of the frame 11 at the forward end of the walls 14 and 14'. The cavity of the channel 17 is disposed toward the forwardmost end of the frame 11, in registry with the cavity formed between the walls 14 and 14. The clamps 19 provide means for modifying the size of enclosure required to accommodate and retain the rod 16. Any of a number of clamps may be employed which maybe interdigitated into the cavity of the channel 17. The lowermost portion of the cavity formed by the walls 14 and 14' corresponding to the rod receiving enclosure formed by the guide 12 is provided with a stop 20 which describes the lowermost penetration of a rod 16 which is inserted downwardly from the uppermost terminal end of the guide. The stop 20 may be adjustable by means such as a screw 21 disposed at the lowermost terminal end of the frame 11, to selectively adjust the size of sections of rod 16 formed by the mechanism 10.

As shown more clearly in the FIG. 4, the rod forming assembly 13 comprises a rod forming lever 22, a return bend forming shoe 23, and a stationary forming roller 24. The lever 22 is journally mounted on a pivot 25 with walls 22 and 22" forming the lever 22 disposed exteriorly adjacent the walls 14 and 14'. The lowermost terminal end of the lever 22 carries a forming roller 26 which travels between the walls 14 and 14'. The roller 26 is journally mounted on a shaft 27 which travels along arcuate grooves 28 in the walls 14 and 14'. An actuating lever 29 issues from the end of the lever 22 opposite the roller 26. It may be seen that mechanical advantage may be derived by employing a bell-cranklike, or dog leg, configuration for the lever 29, with the interior vertex thereof disposed forwardly with respect to the mechanism 10. The actuating lever 29 may be provided with force by either manual or mechanical means.

The return bend forming shoe 23 is actually a pointed portion of the lowermost terminal end of the base wall of the guide 12. The sharpness of the point forming the shoe 23 may be modified to provide various degrees of sharpness in the return bend formed in the rod 16. In operation, the lever 22 is rotated with the rearward side of the roller 26 engaging the forwardmost side of the lower, exposed portion of the rod 16. As the lever 22 is rotated, the roller 26 causes the lower portion of the rod 22 to bend about the shoe 23.

The stationary rod forming roller 24 is journally mounted between the walls 14 and 14 on an axle 35 which is in alignment with the pivot 25. The stationary roller 24 is primarily intended as an idling capston engaging the lowermost terminal end of the rod 16. The forming roller 26 carried on the lever 22 both engages the rod 16 and determines the primary shape of longer, arcuate portions in the product discussed above. Thus, the diameter of the roller 26 is selected so that its outside circumference provides a pre-selected degree of curvature in the product. Between the rollers 24 and 26, it has been found to advantage to provide rollers which, when mounted and are actuated adjacently, provide a space between their circumferences which may accommodate the thickness of the rod 16. This consideration is also present when determining the length of the lever 22 from the pivot 25 to the shaft 27 so that a suitable space is disposed between the circumference of the roller 26 and the shoe 23.

A portion of a typical product which may be formed in the mechanism may be seen in FIG. 3. Although rod is described as a primary material to be formed in the device 10, it is to be understood that other materials, such as tube and strip, may be employed to similar advantage.

As shown in the FIG. 4, with special reference to secondary positions of the forming assembly 13 and the rod 16, in operation rod 16 is inserted into the guide 12 and between the walls 14 and 14' until the lowermost terminal end of the rod 16 engages the stop 20. The lever 22 is rotated to actuate the roller 26 rearwardly with respect to the mechanism 10. As the roller 26 moves rearwardly and upwardly between the walls 14 and 14, the rod 16 is first formed into a return bend, and then as the roller 26 becomes more approximate to the roller 24, the lower, free end of the rod 16 is caused to contact the circumferential face of the forming roller 24. As the forming roller 26 completes its travel, the portion of the rod 16 caught between the rollers 24 and 26 is caused to be pulled about the circumferential face of the roller 26 into the desired curved configuration. It may be seen that the circumferential faces of the rollers 24 and 26 may be fabricated with either flat or grooved faces (that may be flat or grooved) according to demands of alignment and accuracy.

The stationary roller 24 may be disposed in horizontal alignment with the pivot 25 of the lever 22 as set out above to provide arcuate portions in the product up to a semi-circle. For bends greater than a semi-circle, it may be seen that the stationary roller 24 may be disposed somewhat lower in the frame 11 than the pivot 25. This will cause the rod 16 to be conformed over a greater surface of the roller 26.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies the concepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes the various objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes could be made in the appartaus without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rod forming mechanism, comprising:

a frame including suitably joined and reinforced vertical, parallelly disposed walls their vertical ends;

a rod securing guide being mounted to said frame, said guide providing means for retaining a selected length of rod in a vertical position distally adjacent said open vertical edge of said frame; and

a rod forming assembly including a forming lever pivotally mounted at its center to said frame adjacent said open end, a roller mounted at the lower end of said forming lever provided at the end of said forming lever opposite said roller and means for applying force rotating said formed lever at its pivot, a return bend shoe being disposed between said frame walls with the lowermost terminal end of said shoe being in substantial alignment with said pivot of said forming lever, and a stationary forming roller being disposed rearwardly of said lever, between said frame walls, the distance between said actuating lever pivot and the center of said stationary roller being sufficient to accommodate said roller carried on said lever and thicknesses of rod when said roller carried on said lever is disposed between said return bend shoe and said stationary roller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lowermost travel of said rod through said guide and between said frame walls is determined by a stop disposed at a lower portion of said frame walls.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said stop is provided with means for adjusting the vertical position of said stop with respect to said frame walls.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide is provided with means adjusting the interior dimension of said guide to accommodate various sizes of rod.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lever pivot and the center of said stationary forming roller positions are in horizontal alignment.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said center of said stationary forming roller is vertically below the pivot of said forming lever.

being open at one of 

1. A rod forming mechanism, comprising: a frame including suitably joined and reinforced vertical, parallelly disposed walls being open at one of their vertical ends; a rod securing guide being mounted to said frame, said guide providing means for retaining a selected length of rod in a vertical position distally adjacent said open vertical edge of said frame; and a rod forming assembly including a forming lever pivotally mounted at its center to said frame adjacent said open end, a roller mounted at the lower end of said forming lever provided at the end of said forming lever opposite said roller and means for applying force rotating said formed lever at its pivot, a return bend shoe being disposed between said frame walls with the lowermost terminal end of said shoe being in substantial alignment with said pivot of said forming lever, and a stationary forming roller being disposed rearwardly of said lever, between said frame walls, the distance between said actuating lever pivot and the center of said stationary roller being sufficient to accommodate said roller carried on said lever and thicknesses of rod when said roller carried on said lever is disposed between said return bend shoe and said stationary roller.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lowermost travel of said rod through said guide and between said frame walls is determined by a stop disposed at a lower portion of said frame walls.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said stop is provided with means for adjusting the vertical position of said stop with respect to said frame walls.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide is provided with means adjusting the interior dimension of said guide to accommodate various sizes of rod.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lever pivot and the center of said stationary forming roller positions are in horizontal alignment.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said center of said stationary forming roller is vertically below the pivot of said forming lever. 